Arizona is a state in the American Southwest renowned for its natural beauty. The state’s warm climate and blazing economy have led to millions of people settling in this state. Arizona is also one of the largest states in the U.S., ranking 6th in terms of total area. So, how wide is Arizona? Discover the width of this state along with many other measures that show just how large this state is compared to the others in the U.S.
The Total Size of Arizona
Arizona’s Measures | |
---|---|
Acres | 72,953,600 acres |
Square Miles (sq. mi) | 113,990 sq. mi |
Kilometers Squared (km2) | 295,234 km2 |
Arizona is counted among the biggest states in the U.S. by total area, including the land and water within its borders. The state of Arizona measures 113,990 square miles in total size, which equals roughly 295,234 square kilometers. Those measurements equal 72,953,600 acres in total land space.
About 99.65% of the state’s total area is land area, and it has about 0.35% water area within its borders. Only West Virginia and New Mexico have less water area in their respective states.
The Width of Arizona
Arizona is about 335 miles wide at its greatest measure. That width is taken from the western part of the state, near the border with Mexico. The area from the west of Somerton to the eastern border with New Mexico, southeast of Franklin on U.S. Route 70, measures just about 335 miles.
As a whole, the state’s dimensions are roughly 335 miles wide and 390 miles long. Although Arizona is the sixth-largest state in the country, it is not among the widest when measuring from east to west.
How Does Arizona Compare to Other States?
Arizona is the sixth-largest state in the country. To get an idea of just how large this state is, we’re going to compare it to both the largest and smallest states in the country.
To start, consider the following chart of the total land area of the five largest states along with Arizona.
State | Square Miles | Square Kilometers |
---|---|---|
Alaska | 665,384 sq. mi | 1,723,337 km2 |
Texas | 268,596 sq. mi | 695,662 km2 |
California | 163,695 sq. mi | 423,967 km2 |
Montana | 147,040 sq. mi | 380,831 km2 |
New Mexico | 121,590 sq. mi | 314,917 km2 |
Arizona | 113,990 sq. mi | 295,234 km2 |
Although Arizona is close in size to New Mexico, the state quickly loses ground against the largest states in the U.S. Alaska is several times larger than Arizona, and Texas has twice as much land area as the Grand Canyon State!
As one of the larger states in the country, Arizona has a significant size advantage over the smallest states. The following chart demonstrates the size difference from Arizona to other states:
State | Square Miles | Square Kilometers |
---|---|---|
Arizona | 113,990 sq. mi | 295,234 km2 |
Rhode Island | 1,544 sq. mi | 4,001 km2 |
Delaware | 2,488 sq. mi | 6,446 km2 |
Connecticut | 5,543 sq. mi | 14,357 km2 |
Arizona has an enormous size advantage over the smallest states in the country, measuring several times larger than places like Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Delaware.
What Is the Population of Arizona?
Arizona has the 14th highest population in the country with an estimated 7,350,000 people living in the state in 2022. This is one of the fastest-growing states in the entire country, boasting an increase of nearly 12% from 2010 until 2020.
Phoenix is one of the areas in the city that is attracting many people from out of state. Phoenix, Arizona is ranked 5th in terms of the largest cities in the United States. The city is home to 1,651,344 people, and it grew by 11.2% between 2010 and 2011.
People are settling in this area for a variety of reasons. The lower cost of living, warm climate, and jobs market are extremely attractive to people of all ages. Phoenix also has iconic art museums, sports venues, the opportunity to go hiking nearby, and numerous great suburbs.
Also, the city is about 519 square miles in total size. So, the city is large, but it is also not nearly as densely populated as other large cities in the country. Right now, the average population density is 3,203 people per square mile. That number is a third of that seen in places like Philadelphia.
Arizona will continue growing well into the future. After all, the region has a great combination of economics, climate, space, and housing to sustain a larger population.
What Wildlife Lives in Arizona?
Although Arizona is located in an arid climate, the state is home to a lot of different animals. Considering how wide Arizona is, there’s plenty of space for these animals to live. The region has mammals, reptiles, insects, birds, and all other types of creatures. However, they are not always abundant and easy to find when the weather is hottest.
Take a look at the following list of the different animals that live in the state:
- Pronghorn
- Cactus wren
- Coyote
- Western diamondback rattlesnake
- Ringtail cat
- Apache trout
- Swallowtail butterfly
- Arizona tree frog
- Walleye
- Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake
- Mountain lion
- Lynx
- Osprey
- Gila monster
Arizona has a host of different animals that reside in the state’s rivers, deserts, and scrubland. Venomous snakes are some of the animals that people worry about the most. Arizona is home to 13 different kinds of rattlesnakes, but the state also has venomous coral snakes. Some snakes, like night snakes, are dangerous to animals but not to humans.
The venomous snakes in Arizona bite about 150 to 200 people per year, but the state averages less than one death per year from snakebites.
Arizona is the 6th largest state by land and has the 14th biggest population of any state in the country. So, how wide is Arizona? The 335-mile width doesn’t tell the entire story. At the very least, it is wide enough and long enough to contain a very large, diverse population. Furthermore, the population in this state continues to grow because of the great number of opportunities and hot yet comfortable climate in the state.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.